Foldable and adjustable reflector



July 7, 1931. w. VOGEL, 1,813,102

FOLDABLE AND ADJUSTABLE REFLECTOR Filed Jan. 24, 1'951 INVENTORLIVIFAITTORNEYS Patented July 7, 1931 PATENT oluuce WILLIAM VOGEL, ormew YORK, N. Y.

j ronnmn AND Amusmnm nnrrncron Application .flled January 24,

This invention relates to a foldable reflector convenient for manypurposes, but particularly adapted for use in photographm work togetherwith flashlight bulbs.

The reflector folds into an extremel portable, compact mass ofoverlapping at, radial segments loosely mounted upon a central memberpreferably in the form of a ring which latter is so shaped, that it willscrew over or fit around a socket which holds a flashlight bulb. Thesegments are formed referably of thin sheet aluminum, but anEexiblematerial of similar qualities provi ed with a reflective surfacewill suffice. Connective means'are provided between successive segmentsin such manner that the latter may be folded together compactly orspread out so as to slightly overlap around the ring to form a flatcircle of metal, except for a space equal to one or two missingsegments.

- The segments on either side of this space are provided with attachmentmeans to Join them under tension, and b utilizing the flexibility of allsegments and y placing each under a communicated equal tension, abasin-shaped metal reflector-approachin the parabolicis formed. Afteruse, the re ector is collapsed by releasing the attachment means andsliding the segments one above theother.

My invention can be readily understood from the accompanying drawingswhich are set forth merely for the purposes of illustration and are notto be deemed as limiting the scope of my invention.

Fig. 1 is a front view of a structure embodying my invention with thesegments spread out, but without being joined together to form areflector; Fig. 2 is a back view similar to Fig. 1 but with all the seg-.ments connected together under tension; Fig.

3 is a side elevation taken at 3-3 of Fig. 2, to-

gether with a socket and flashlight bulb positioned within thereflector; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a collapsed reflector; Fig. 5 is afront view of a collapsed reflector; Fig. 6 represents a stamping for asheet metal piece which may befshaped fqreither a stop or a loop for theconnective means between segments; Fig. 7 7 shows a stop mounted upon te edge of a 1931. Serial N0. 510,949.

partially shown segment and Fig. 8 shows a loop mounted upon a segment.

In these figures, 10 represents a plurality of similar radial aluminumsegments preferably loosely successively mounted one above the otherupon a flanged ring 12 by peening. The segments. 10 when s read outslightly overlapping in a fan-like ashion around the ring do notcomplete a circle but leave a gap between the end segments vdenoted 10aand 106 (Fig. 1). a

Segments 10,- 10a and 10?) are connected by the interaction of stops 14and loops 16, so that the segments may be overlapped Fig. 4)substantially completely but so t at when spread out under tension aloop 16 mounted upon one edge of each segment will strike a stop 14uponan immediately adjoining segment in the succession mounted upon the ring12. The loop of any segment closely conforms to and slides along theouter circumference of such adjoining segment and so is restricted inits movement only by the corresponding stop and 100 of such adjoining seent. To facilitate olding, each stop may e ,bent slightly outwardly fromthe a loops, so as to ride over the 100 s of the other adjoiningsegments (shown in ig. 4).

Although the segment may be stamped from sheet aluminum with proper proections to form loops and stops, the aluminum does not wear well, and Iprefer to stamp from more durable sheet metal, a stampin 18 formed witha wide center portion 20 an two projections, one longer than the other,22 and 24 respectively. \Portion 20 is bent along its centerlongitudinally and piece 18 V is then pinch-pressed in place preferablyat either circumferential corner of each segment; with the long portion22 projecting at one side beyond the circumference tube bent into a loopand the short portion at the other to form a stop respectively. Byplacing the stops and loops at the circumference, the tension' betweensegments is communicated at their outer edge when the circumference is'narrowed and as a result the segments curve from edge to center.

'As shown, each segment is formed with a circular opening 26 upon itsilmer end suitable for loose mounting upon the ring 12. The radial seents run from a narrow ortion close to t e ring to a wide portion thecircumference, and as indicated overlapped edge 28 is substantiallstraight whereas the overlappinged is ormed with a curved bulge or curviinear projection 30. The sha and amount of this projection, together witthe shape of the segments, determine the distribution of the curve ofeach segment when 10a and 10b are 'oined by positioning hook 32 intoslot 34. 1 f the segments were more narrow and the overlap less, therewould be more curvature close to the ring. An additional slot or slotssuch as indicated at 34a may be used to adjust the curvature of thecone-shaped reflector by further dropping one or more of the se ments.

In the structure disclose of the proportions shown, I have found 11segments of a 12 segmented circle, the segments formed of 28 gaugealuminum, to tension into a reflector which approaches the parabolic andyet which when folded can be conveniently slipped into a pocket.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description has been madesimply for the purpose of disclosing an operative structure whichembodies my invention, and that my invention should not be deemedlimited thereby, but that it may be employed in a variety of forms.

What I claim is:

1. A foldable reflector comprisinga plurality of flexible radialsegments loosely mounted successively one above the other u on a centeraxis and adapted to slide one a ove the other compactly together, or tospread out successively flatly fan-wise, connective means mountedapproximately upon the circumferential edge of said segments adapted torestrict their spreading sliding movement so that one edge of eachsegment slightly overlaps the adjacent edge of the segment next insuccession when all are spread out, said segments when substantiallyflatly spread out adapted to form a complete circle except for asubstantial space be tween the first and last segment of the succession,and attachment means adapted to join the first and last segment of thesuccession when they are closed together b flexing all the se ents undertension, to orm a dishshape basin of substantially parabolic shape.

2. A structure I as described in claim 1 wherein each segment is formedwith a curvilinear rojection upon the edge which overlaps aml whereinthe overlapped edge is straight.

3. A foldable reflector comprising a lurality of substantially equalradial flex1ble segments loosely mounted similarly with reference to acenter axis one above the other, means to connect the successivesegments at their outer circumference so that they may be folded into 'acompact layered mass or spread out connectedly fan-wise with one edge ofeach segment slightly overlapping the edge of the adjacent one in thesuccession, said se ents when substantially flatly spread out an-wiseadapted to leave a substantial space between the first and the lastsegment, and attachment means for the first and last segment so thatthey may be joined together under tension, whereby a substantiallyparabolic shaped reflector may be formed of all the flexible segments.

4. A cone-sha ed foldable reflector comrising a flange ring mountingadapted to e slipped over a bulb socket, a plurality of flexible, radialsegments provided with spaces in their inner ends loosely mounted uponsaid ring, with the ring in said spaces, connective means mountedsubstantially upon the circumferential ends of the successive segmentsso that they may be folded in a compact, layeredmass or spread outcircularly with a slight overlap, said segments when spread outcircularly in substantiallythe same plane adapted to form a segmenteddisk except for a substantial space between the first and last segmentof the succession, and attachment means mounted upon said first and lastsegments so that the space may be closed by flexing the flat segmenteddisc into a substantially parabolic form and locking the first and lastsegment together.

5. A foldable reflector comprising a plurality of radial segmentsloosely mounted successively one above the other upon a center axis andadapted to slide one above the other compactly together or to spread outfan-wise circularly, a stop positioned approximately upon the cornerformed by the edge and circumference of each segment and a looppositioned approximately upon the other corner, each of said loopsadapted to loop over the circumferential edge of the next successivesegment, and to slide along said edge between the stop and loop of thatsegment, the segments when connected adapted to be spread out into aslightly overlapped circular form and attachment means to join the firstand last segments whereby a, dish-shaped reflector may be formed.

6. A structure as defined in claim 5 wherein the stops are formed withtheir edges bent slightly outwardly so that they may easily ride overthe loops when the segments are folded one above the other.

7. A foldable reflector comprising a plurality of radial segmentalsections pivoted together to open and close like a fan and of v a numberto form when flatly spread out a full circle except for a substantialspace, means for attaching the two segments adjacent the space, Qmeansfor connecting the other segments in slightly overlapping position, saidmeans for connecting adapted to transmit a tension around thecircumferential edge of the connected segments so that the segments maybe flexed to form acurve running from the pivot to the segmentalcircumference, and means whereby the space may be closed and the twosegments adjacent thereto attached together.

8. A foldable reflector comprising a plurality of radial flexiblesegments pivoted together to open or close like a. fan and adapt-.

ed when opened to slightly overlap successively and to form a fullcircle except for a substantial space, connective means adapted to holdall the segments when spread out in slightly overlapped position exce tfor the ones adjacent said space, and a. 00k provided upon a segmentadjacent to one side of said space and a slot provided in the othersegment adjacent the other side of said space and slots available in thesuccessive segments to said slotted segment, whereby when the segmentsare flexed to form substantially a cone shape and the space is closed,the hook may be inserted into an desired slot so that adjustability isobtains In testing that I claim the foregoing, I

have hereunto set my hand this 23rd day of January, 1931.

' WILLIAM VOGELA

